I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned these innocent men.
For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath.”
"Build a bridge and get over yourself!" my young friend declaimed. She might have been speaking of Jesus's critics in today's gospel. These fellows are so full of themselves and their opinions, they cannot allow the Spirit of God to dictate common sense in particular situations. Don't priests work on the Sabbath? And hungry people eat whatever is available despite their religious scruples and cultural sensibilities?
While the customs and traditions are necessary and good under normal circumstances, and normal is the way of life we all prefer, there are moments when we must go with the flow and ask, "What does the Spirit say to me and us at this moment?" Or, "What would Jesus do?"
"For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery!" Saint Paul declared.
We've seen more than a few normals collapse lately. Covid altered our medical practices and our religious customs; the Russian invasion of Ukraine has disrupted the world's food supply; the Earth's changing climate is bringing floods to coastal cities and fires to ancient forests: and the Supreme Court has broken several precedents in unprecedented fashion.
We might revert to standard operating procedures but some of them are merely quaint and no longer helpful. When millions of people are starving in Africa we should probably curb our complaints about higher gas prices.
We turn to the Lord for guidance and, like Saint Paul, ask, "What would you have me do?" Even a Pharisee, struck to the ground and blinded, can figure that out.
Pope Francis has urged us to hear Jesus's words, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice." He called for a Holy Year of Mercy in November 2016 (a fateful month in American history.) He has often spoken of mercy, and recommended Cardinal Walter Kasper's Mercy: The Essence of the Gospel and the Key to Christian Life. (Which, I confess, I've read only once.)
Our normal routines are certainly built upon the principle of sacrifice, as they should be. We rise early and pray. We abstain from excess food, drink, and entertainment. We observe our religious customs and practice civility; we obey the laws and work diligently. But mercy calls us to go the extra mile, give our shirts and not just our jackets, and forgive the debts that will never be repaid.
We can do these things, "For freedom Christ set us free!"
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.